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GREENWICH, Conn. Temple Sholom is gearing up to mark the High Holy Days beginning with Rosh Hashanah on Wednesday evening.
Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of the Jewish New Year before a period of reflection and atonement. No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah, and much of the holiday is spent in the synagogue. A symbol of the holiday is the shofar, a horn blown during religious services. A less formal tradition is to eat apples dipped in honey, a symbol of a wish for a sweet new year.
Temple Sholom will mark the eve of Rosh Hashanah, known as Erev Rosh Hashanah, with an 8 p.m. service Wednesday. Rosh Hashanah services will commence at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Rosh Hashanah and the days in between until Yom Kippur are days of repentance, in which Jews are instructed to meditate on the holidays and ask for forgiveness from anyone they have wronged.
On Oct. 8, Temple Sholom will mark Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar. On the "Day of Atonement," one reflects on their sins over the past year by fasting for 25 hours. On Yom Kippur, Jews observe the Five Prohibitions, which include not eating or drinking; not wearing leather shoes; not bathing or washing; not anointing oneself with oil, perfume, jewelry or makeup; and not engaging in marital relations.
After the holidays, the seven days of Sukkot will begin Oct. 13. Families will gather to decorate the sukkah at Temple Sholom. Lori Baden, director of communications for Temple Sholom, said it is customary for the roof of the sukkah, a sort of hut, to remain partially open to allow the sky to show through. Usually wooden slats are placed across the top with branches, foliage and shrubbery over them.
On each day of Sukkot, blessings are recited over a lulav and an etrog, two symbols of Sukkot. Last year, Josh Altman, associate director of special projects for Temple Sholom, explained the holiday and the significance of the two symbols to the families. A lulav is a palm branch held together with five willow branches. An etrog is a citron that is similar to a lemon. The branches and fruit are waved each day of Sukkot to represent different types of Jews coming together.
For service times and tickets, check out the full holiday schedule on Temple Sholoms website.
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